Holland wins driving gold

The Netherlands dominated the FEI European Driving Championships for Four-in-Hand. On Thursday, four-time world champion IJsbrand Chardon (pictured below) and 2013 European champion Theo Timmerman, who are both Dutch, took first and second place in the dressage test, with Spain’s Juan Antonio Real Garcia in third and another Dutch driver, Koos de Ronde, in fourth. On Friday, Belgium’s Felix Marie Brasseur was first in the cones, followed by Hungary’s József Dobrovitz in second and Chardon in third. A third place for de Ronde and a fifth for Chardon in the marathon clinched the team-gold medal for Holland, but a great marathon performance by Germany’s Michael Brauchle meant he pipped Chardon by a minuscule 0.21 seconds in the individual standings to become the new European champion.

Europe’s best vaulters do battle in Aachen

Hot favourites Jasmin Lindner and Lukas Wacha (pictured below), who hail from Austria, landed the pas-de-deux gold medal at the FEI European Vaulting Championships in Aachen, which started on Thursday, August 20. Germany’s Jannis Drewell bagged the male freestyle gold, while Switzerland’s Simona Jäiser took the female title and Team RSV Neuss-Grimlinghausen won gold for Germany in the squad final.

Horse put down after assault in Scotland

A 23-year-old mare was stabbed in the chest and horrifically assaulted near New Pitsligo in Aberdeenshire, on the night between August 16 and 17. The pony had to be put to sleep because of her injuries. Her owner, Zoe Wright, is urging people to be vigilant and check their horses for cuts, while Police Scotland have asked local residents to report any suspicious activity they may have spotted in the area.

Shock win at York

No Blair for Flora Harris and Bayano

A disappointing performance at Aachen cost Flora Harris and Bayano their place in the team that will represent Great Britain at the FEI European Eventing Championships at Blair Castle. The British Eventing senior selectors have decided to replace the combination with Tom Jackson and Waltham Fiddlers Find, following Bayano’s “recent lack of form” in Aachen. In another change, Izzy Taylor will now ride KBIS Briarlands Matilda at Blair because Allercombe Ellie was found to be lame in Aachen.

Great Britain’s showjumpers made it a case of mission accomplished at the FEI European Championships in Aachen by securing prized qualification for next year’s Rio Olympics.

Although the British team of Ben Maher (Diva II), Jessica Mendoza (Spirit T), Joe Clee (Utamaro d’Ecaussines) and Michael Whitaker (Cassionato) missed out on a bronze medal by just 0.760 penalties, a fourth-place finish still took them to Rio, where they will defend the Olympic title next summer.

Maher jumped clear, while Mendoza and Clee each had four faults, and Whitaker’s total of nine faults proved to be the discarded team score.

Switzerland and Spain booked the other two qualifying places, but controversy reigned after Ireland missed out on the Olympics in unexpected circumstances.

One of the main arena stewards ran in front of Cian O’Connor during his round, and the London 2012 individual bronze medallist had the next fence down. If O’Connor had jumped clear instead of collecting four faults, then Ireland would have overtaken Spain and qualified.

Irish team officials lodged an immediate protest, but it remains to be seen if anything can be done. Ireland finished a mere 0.380 penalties behind Spain.

Reigning world champions Holland added European gold to their collection after an imperious display by Jeroen Dubbeldam (pictured), Maikel van der Vleuten, Jur Vrieling and Gerco Schroder, with the German quartet of Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Christian Ahlmann, Ludger Beerbaum and Daniel Duesser finishing second and Switzerland third.

Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya leads the individual competition heading into Sunday’s final, when the top 25 qualifiers will also include Clee and Maher, together with Irish trio of O’Connor, Bertram Allen and Denis Lynch.

Clee said: “My horse jumped amazingly. I am so happy with his performance, but I am just kicking myself a little bit. I could have been a bit sharper coming down that distance, and I could have helped him a bit more.

“We came here to do a job, and that was to qualify for the Olympics, but then when you come so close, it’s gutting when you don’t get a medal.

“The team performed fantastically. I am really happy for Jess. She pulled it back and she rode a really good round to finish, which is great for her, and it was great for the qualification for the Olympics. She helped us qualify for the Olympics.

“We all had that on our minds, and we had great team spirit and we all had the same purpose here. I think the team spirit carries us, and we really pulled together.”

Mendoza, who, at 19, is the youngest British showjumper selected for a senior championship since Debbie Johnsey went to the 1976 Montreal Olympics, added: “I think the first few days I wasn’t used to the ring, and today I knew I had to try and go good, so I gave it all I could.

“It’s completely different here in Aachen. It wasn’t really suiting my horse on the first few days, then after riding in it for a few days I’ve got used to it.”

And Whitaker said: ““We were less than one fault away from the bronze medal, so it’s really disappointing actually. The main thing was to qualify, and we did that, but a medal would have been a real bonus.

“I’m very happy (to help get the team to Rio). I want to stick with this team next year. All these guys have worked really hard, and they deserve a chance. The main thing was to get qualified, and we did.”

Great Britain’s showjumpers dug deep in Aachen to deliver a character-filled display as they stayed on course for an FEI European Championships medal and an all-important place at next year’s Rio Olympics.

It proved to be an incident-packed penultimate day of team competition action, but Britain ended it in fourth place behind France — led by Penelope Leprevost (pictured above) — in first place, Holland in second and Germany in third.

Going into Friday’s final team-jumping round, five of the surviving 10 nations — Britain, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark and Ireland — will be chasing three Rio places available for countries that have not yet qualified.

Britain were indebted to clear rounds from Joe Clee and Utamaro d’Ecaussines (pictured below) — their second in successive days — and Michael Whitaker with Cassionato, after former world number one Ben Maher had four faults on Diva II and 19-year-old Jessica Mendoza saw three fences go down aboard Spirit T.

Mendoza’s tally proved to be the discarded score, while Clee is currenty third in the individual competition that concludes on Sunday. France’s Leprevost leads, just ahead of German star Ludger Beerbaum.

“My horse has been jumping great – even a bit too good,” Clee said. “He settled down after about fence four.

“It is a case of each day as it comes. With success here comes the Olympic qualification, so just one job at a time. I will start to enjoy it after Sunday has been and gone.”

And 55-year-old Whitaker added: “I got a lot of confidence from my horse. He has never been in this ring, and he’s never been under this kind of pressure. I didn’t know how he would react, but he actually rose to the occasion.

“I said when I came out, I’ve never felt pressure like it. There is extra pressure to qualify for the Olympics. If I had gone in and not had a good round, that would have been it. Now, we’re still fighting for tomorrow, even for a medal.

“You couldn’t get it (the course) wrong, you had to ride every fence and think about all the lines and even the last fence — you saw the problems the last fence caused. You had to get it all right, you could not make a mistake.

“Joe was brilliant and Ben was brilliant. What the mare did was out of his hands. She just took off, and Ben did unbelievably to stay on.”

Maher was powerless as Diva II went airborne too early going into the last fence, meaning that they ploughed through it, but Maher somehow stayed on and avoided elimination.

“I don’t really know how it happened,” he said. “She should have picked up two strides, but she picked up on one. I guess it was just quick reaction and instinct from me. I could not afford to fall off — that would have been pretty damaging for the team.

“She jumped probably as good as any other horse today, but that’s the way it goes.”

And Great Britain team boss Di Lampard added: “This just shows how focused the team are. To come back from the shock at the start with Ben and Diva, when they had looked home and dry, shows just how tight the team are. Team spirit really couldn’t be better.

“We came here to qualify for Rio. We are two thirds of the way through, and in a strong position to deliver.”

Great Britain’s showjumpers are off and running on the road to next summer’s Rio Olympics after starting well in their qualification quest at the Longines FEI European Championships in Aachen.

The British quartet of Joe Clee, Ben Maher, Michael Whitaker and Jessica Mendoza occupy third place following the opening day’s one-round speed class in Aachen.

Six notable nations — Britain, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland — have yet to qualify for Rio, and three places are available in Aachen’s last-chance saloon.

But Britain made a flying start as Clee (Utamaro d’Ecaussines), Maher (Diva II) and Whitaker (Cassionato) all jumped clear, while 19-year-old Mendoza had two fences down with Spirit T on her senior championship debut.

Clee was among only five of 94 starters to clock under 70 seconds, and he was understandably delighted with his horse’s performance.

“I was aware I had to go fast, but he is a great horse to go fast on. The faster you go, the more he tries,” he said.

“He handled it really well, I felt really confident on him, and the further the round went on the more risks I felt I could take.

“Ben and Michael were brilliant to start with, which takes the pressure off you a little bit, but it’s still on. Those two rounds put me a little bit more relaxed and motivated me as well, seeing those guys going so fast. There is a great sense of team spirit with everyone, and I think that helps you and motivates you.”

And Maher, who helped Britain win London Olympic gold and the 2013 European team title, added: “We’ve come here with a good team and a definite strategy.

“The plan was to set Michael off first, because he has the slowest horse, and I said I had the second-slowest, but actually we sped up today. The plan was to come out and get ahead today if we could on some of the other teams, and then probably change the strategy around tomorrow.

“Diva jumped incredibly. I took certain risks in some places and played a little safe to one jump there, which probably cost me the individual lead right now, but we are here for one thing only, and that’s what was important today.”

The action continues on Thursday with another round of team jumping, with the top 10 countries then moving forward to Friday’s finale, when medals will be decided.

The waiting game will finally end on Wednesday when Great Britain’s showjumping team embark on an FEI European Championships campaign like no other.

The clock has effectively been ticking since last September’s World Equestrian Games debacle in Normandy, when an 18th-placed finish meant a spectacular case of mission unaccomplished.

The mission in question is Olympics qualification for Rio next summer, and the London 2012 gold medal-winning nation now finds itself with one last chance to ensure they will at least go to Brazil and defend a title won so spectacularly at Greenwich Park three years ago this month.

Ben Maher is the sole survivor from London, being joined in Aachen by his fellow 2013 European team-gold medallist Michael Whitaker, Belgium-based Joe Clee and 19-year-old Jessica Mendoza — the youngest British showjumper chosen for a senior championship since Debbie Johnsey gained Montreal Olympics selection in 1976.

Missing from the Aachen adventure is Britain’s world-number-one showjumper, Scott Brash, whose top two horses Hello Sanctos and Hello M’Lady have not been made available, while an in-form John Whitaker ruled out his premier ride, Argento, some time ago, not wanting to present it in Aachen’s formidable king-sized arena.

Encouragingly, Maher, Whitaker, Clee and Mendoza have previously shown top form together, being reunited in Germany just two months after they delivered a brilliant collective display to win the Rotterdam Nations Cup.

Clee went double clear that day, while his three colleagues also left all fences up in either round one or two. Left trailing behind them were a German team containing Christian Ahlmann, Ludger Beerbaum and Daniel Deusser, a Dutch quartet led by reigning world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam and a French combination featuring 2013 European individual gold medallist Roger-Yves Bost.

Rotterdam was the third Nations Cup triumph of team boss Di Lampard‘s first season in charge, following victories in La Baule and Rome, so there is no doubt that Britain will feature prominently on any current European showjumping form guide, and the feel-good factor has most definitely returned following last year’s crushing WEG disappointment.

Three Olympic places are available in Aachen, with Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Switzerland and Spain leading the hunt.

Maher will ride Diva II, the horse on which he jumped double clear at last month’s Hickstead Nations Cup, Whitaker boards the ever-impressive Cassionato, Mendoza will be with Spirit T, a combination that showed star quality through finishing fourth in the recent Longines King George V Gold Cup, and Clee rides the ultra-consistent Utamaro d’Ecaussines.

It is probably one of the least-known facts in British sport – and a question that would currently hold its own in any sports quiz.

Name the reigning Olympic champion team that has not qualified for the Olympics?

Amid the unfortgettable scenes of Greenwich Park in August 2012, it appears inconceivable that approaching three years later, there is a very real possibility that Great Britain will not have a showjumping team at Rio 2016.

It only seems like yesterday that Peter Charles and Vindicat W jumped London Bridge, Charles jubilantly punched the air, a sell-out crowd went bonkers and Britain’s showjumpers – Charles, Nick Skelton, Ben Maher and Scott Brash – had Olympic gold medals hanging around their necks.

They made it mission accomplished against a back-drop of pure sporting theatre. A thrilling jump-off – showjumping’s equivalent of soccer’s penalty shoot-out – a captivated audience, both in Greenwich and on television, and a result that few could have imagined as Britain pipped the Netherlands to gold.

It was not apparent at the time, certainly not during prolonged celebrations inside and outside The Greenwich Tavern, that London glory did not translate to Rio qualification.

And now the chips are well and truly down, with Britain having one more chance – August’s European Championships in Aachen – to secure one of the few remaining qualifying places, or end up watching Rio from afar.

The Brits could have done it by now, but a spectacularly-poor World Equestrian Games in Normandy last September saw them finish a miserable 18th, way off the Rio-bound places filled by the Netherlands, France, United States, Germany, Sweden and Brazil as hosts.

Britain has still got it all to do when they arrive in Aachen, pursuing one of just three places.

There were, to a degree, mitigating circumstances for the Brits, with injuries and unavailability undermining the World Games campaign, but it also meant that they left Caen with the heat well and truly turned up.

The problem – and it is a sizeable one – centres around a few other teams with high expectations who have also not qualified, which means Britain has still got it all to do when they arrive in Aachen, pursuing one of just three places.

Ireland, led by boy wonder Bertram Allen, Switzerland, with reigning Olympic indivivual champion Steve Guerdat in their ranks, Belgium and the Ukraine have also yet to book flights for Rio, so Britain has much to contemplate.

It could well be a case of Games over before they have even started.

Now under the direction of new team boss Di Lampard, the overwhelming priority must be to identify the team she wants for Aachen – then do everything in her power to ensure she arrives in Germany with a line-up capable of setting off on the road to Rio, rather then being turned back to Blighty.

It will not be easy, but then neither should it be. If she is able to choose from strength, with the likes of Brash, Maher, Michael Whitaker, John Whitaker and the gifted young talents Spencer Roe and William Whitaker, then Britain ought to make it with something to spare.

Anything less, though, and it could well be a case of Games over before they have even started.

Should the latter scenario unfold, then the inquest will inevitably be a long and painful one. After the World Games flop, Britain has a second opportunity, and they must take it.

Their major championship record has been outstanding in recent years, and the rider quality and horse-power is not in question, but it is all about getting things to happen accurately and consistently over the space of a few highly-pressured days.

They did it spectacularly in London, now they must shine at Aachen. The stakes are high.